Elements of Art: Line, Shape, Form, Space

• Art is a diverse range of human activities, which uses creative skills to express technical ability
• Art expresses beauty, evokes emotion, and communicates conceptual ideas
• Art history studies the history of art by considering the development of:
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Architecture
  • Decorative arts

Elements of Art

• A line is a mark with length and direction and is created by a point moving across a surface
• Lines can be:
  • Two-dimensional (e.g., a pencil line on paper)
  • Three-dimensional (e.g., a wire)
  • Descriptive
  • Implied
  • Abstract
• A shape is an enclosed two-dimensional area defined by lines, color, or value
• Shapes can be:
  • Geometric (e.g., circles, squares)
  • Organic (e.g., free-form shapes resembling natural forms)
• Form is a three-dimensional object, or the illusion of three dimensions
• Forms can be:
  • Geometric (e.g., cubes, spheres)
  • Organic (e.g., sculptures of people or animals)
• Space is the area around, within, or between objects
• Positive space refers to the areas occupied by objects
• Negative space refers to the empty areas around objects
• Space can create depth in a two-dimensional artwork
• Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color
• Value can be used to create:
  • Contrast
  • Volume
  • Depth
• Color is the visual perception of light reflected from a surface
• Color properties:
  • Hue (the name of the color)
  • Saturation (the intensity of the color)
  • Value (the lightness or darkness of the color)
• Texture refers to the surface quality of an object
• Texture can be:
  • Actual (tactile)
  • Implied (visual)
• Actual texture can be felt
• Implied texture is created through visual techniques

Principles of Design

• Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in an artwork
• Balance can be:
  • Symmetrical (equal on both sides)
  • Asymmetrical (unequal on both sides)
  • Radial (arranged around a central point)
• Emphasis refers to creating a focal point in an artwork
• Emphasis can be achieved through the use of:
  • Contrast
  • Color
  • Placement
  • Size
• Proportion refers to the relationship between the sizes of different parts of an artwork
• Proportion can be:
  • Realistic
  • Distorted
• Rhythm refers to the repetition of elements in an artwork to create a sense of movement or visual beat
• Rhythm can be:
  • Regular
  • Alternating
  • Flowing
  • Progressive
• Unity refers to the sense of harmony and cohesiveness in an artwork
• Unity can be achieved through the use of similar:
  • Colors
  • Shapes
  • Textures
• Variety refers to the use of different elements in an artwork to create interest and avoid monotony
• Variety can be achieved through the use of different:
  • Colors
  • Shapes
  • Textures
  • Values
• Movement refers to how the eye travels through an artwork
• Movement can be directed by:
  • Lines
  • Shapes
  • Colors

Art History Periods

Prehistoric Art

• Includes cave paintings, sculptures, and megalithic structures
• These works were created by early humans before writing was developed
• Cave paintings often depict animals and hunting scenes
• Lascaux cave paintings in France and Stonehenge in England are notable examples

Ancient Near Eastern Art

• Art originated from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Persia
• The art is characterized by:
  • Monumental architecture
  • Hieroglyphic writing
  • Stylized figures representations
• The Ziggurats of Mesopotamia, the pyramids of Egypt, and the palaces of Persepolis are prominent examples

Ancient Greek Art

• Emphasized:
  • Humanism
  • Idealism
  • Naturalism
• Characterized by:
  • Refined sculptures
  • Architectural orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian)
  • Vase paintings
• The Parthenon and the sculptures of Phidias are iconic examples

Roman Art

• Influenced by Greek art
• Focused on:
  • Practicality
  • Realism
  • Grandeur
• Characterized by:
  • Arches
  • Vaults
  • Concrete construction
  • Portrait sculptures
• The Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the portraits of Roman emperors are notable examples

Early Christian and Byzantine Art

• Art created during the early centuries of Christianity and in the Byzantine Empire
• Characterized by:
  • Religious iconography
  • Mosaics
  • Centralized church architecture
• The catacombs of Rome, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and the mosaics of Ravenna are prominent examples

Medieval Art

• Includes Romanesque and Gothic art
• Romanesque art features:
  • Massive architecture
  • Rounded arches
  • Stylized figures
• Gothic art is characterized by:
  • Pointed arches
  • Ribbed vaults
  • Stained glass
  • Soaring cathedrals
• The Romanesque churches of France and the Gothic cathedrals of Chartres and Notre-Dame are famous examples

Renaissance Art

• A revival of classical art and learning in Europe
• Characterized by:
  • Humanism
  • Naturalism
  • Perspective
  • Anatomical accuracy
• Significant artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael
• The Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and the School of Athens are notable works

Baroque Art

• Characterized by:
  • Drama
  • Emotion
  • Grandeur
  • Elaborate ornamentation
• Notable artists include Caravaggio, Bernini, and Rembrandt
• Caravaggio's paintings, Bernini's sculptures, and the Palace of Versailles are famous examples

Rococo Art

• Is an extension of the Baroque period
• Is characterized by:
  • Elegance
  • Playfulness
  • Delicate ornamentation
• Prominent artists include Fragonard and Boucher
• Fragonard's "The Swing" and Boucher's mythological scenes are famous examples

Neoclassical Art

• Inspired by classical Greek and Roman art
• Emphasizes:
  • Order
  • Reason
  • Simplicity
• Notable artists include Jacques-Louis David and Antonio Canova
• David's "Oath of the Horatii" and Canova's sculptures of mythological figures are famous examples

Romanticism

• Emphasized:
  • Emotion
  • Imagination
  • Individualism
• Notable artists include Eugène Delacroix, J.M.W. Turner, and Caspar David Friedrich
• Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People" and Turner's landscape paintings are famous examples

Realism

• Depicted everyday subjects and people realistically and objectively
• Notable artists include Gustave Courbet and Honoré Daumier
• Courbet's "The Stone Breakers" and Daumier's social commentaries are famous examples

Impressionism

• Characterized by capturing fleeting moments and the effects of light and color
• Notable artists include Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Monet's "Impression, Sunrise" and Renoir's figure paintings are famous examples

Post-Impressionism

• A reaction against Impressionism, with many diverse artistic styles
• Notable artists include Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, and Paul Gauguin
• Van Gogh's "The Starry Night," Cézanne's still lifes, and Gauguin's Tahitian paintings are famous examples

20th Century Art

• Includes movements such as:
  • Fauvism
  • Expressionism
  • Cubism
  • Surrealism
  • Abstract Expressionism
• Fauvism is characterized by bold, arbitrary colors
• Expressionism emphasized subjective emotion and inner experience
• Cubism fractured and abstracted objects into geometric forms
• Surrealism explored the realm of dreams and the unconscious
• Abstract Expressionism emphasized spontaneous gesture and non-representational forms
• Significant artists include Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Jackson Pollock

Contemporary Art

• Art produced from the late 20th century to the present
• Characterized by diverse styles, media, and concepts
• Includes movements such as:
  • Pop Art
  • Minimalism
  • Conceptual Art
  • Installation Art
• Notable artists include Andy Warhol, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, and Damien Hirst